LARKANA: Larkana is said to be the barometer of politics especially when differences emerge between Larkana politicians and their Lahore counterparts.

Fireworks in such a situation reverberate through the power corridors. But this time around, things are a bit different if seen in the context of local government elections in Larkana district which saw a wrangle between PPP leaders and its estranged stalwarts like Mumtaz Ali Bhutto, Dr Safdar Abbasi, Naheed Khan and their families.

Although the nascent political alliances have so far failed to deal a blow to the PPP, the new entity, PPP-Workers, led by former Senator Dr Abbasi and supplemented by Benazir Bhutto’s close aide Naheed Khan has somewhat jolted the PPP in its hometown.

The PPP seems not to accept the ground reality but the PPP-W having made inroads in Larkana politics with the potential of penetrating mainstream politics speaks of the degree of erosion within the original sphere of the PPP.

Reasons: The PPP’s poor contact with the masses; the barrage of criticism it faces from opponents; and its failure to fully attain the goals it had set for development, employment and most sectors of nation-building.

The ongoing war of words between the PPP and PML-N without hostilities having been declared, coupled with the so-called revelations being attributed to suspected Lyari gangster Uzair Jan Baloch, has put the PPP under considerable pressure.

The PPP’s moves on the political chessboard are difficult to be weighed and valued, and its leadership may be feeling a bit weaker in the next phase of the local government elections when mayors and chairmen of the district councils are to be elected.

The party leadership has recently introduced a law under which the mayors and chairmen will be elected by raising of hands.

If assessed closely, this reflects the fear of councillors changing their loyalty.

The law is currently being judged by the judiciary and if it upholds the law, this will earn the PPP its desired results. Otherwise, the party may have a struggle on its hands.

Another unavoidable option open to it is lobbying — open or clandestine.

The party is in search of a most loyal person — for the slot of Larkana district council chairman — ideally able to perfectly handle execution of development projects across the district and remarkably improve the party’s image impaired by certain shortcomings, defections and countering propaganda.

Such a person must have political acumen and required wisdom.

The party may be looking for a person like Education Minister Nisar Ahmed Khuhro and Home Minister Suhail Anwer Siyal.

One thing that may have a role of catalyst in choosing the candidate is that the ideal person will not be from among the offspring of a sitting MPA.

A committee comprising Sindh Assembly Speaker Agha Siraj Durrani, MNA Aijaz Jakhrani and PPP Larkana district general secretary Abdul Fatah Bhutto is in search of such a person. It has received applications and is scrutinising them to finalise three ideal candidates for the top leadership to choose any of them.

Among the applicants are former MNA Hizbullah Bughio, Nisar Khuhro’s daughter Nida Khuhro, Aijaz Leghari from Garhi Khuda Bukhsh Bhutto, Anwer Siyal’s brother Zaffar Siyal aka Tarique Siyal, PPP Dokri president Khan Mohammed Sangro, Ashfaque Ahmed Bhutto from Saidu Dero and Sardar Ali Nawaz Jalbani.

Political circles believe that Hizbulah Bughio, Nida Khuhro, Zaffar Siyal and Aijaz Leghari are favourites in an equal measure.

Published in Dawn, February 10th, 2016